Combined skirt-clasp and waist-retainer.



No. 699,286. Patented May 6, I902.

W. C. CORTELYOU.

COMBINED SKIRT CLASP AND WAIST RETAINER.

(Application filed May 16, 1901,)

(No Model.)

"m: NORRIS PETERS cu, PHOTO-L11 v0. WASHINGTCN, u. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM o. CORTELYOU, or OBLONG, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED SKlRT-CLASP AND WAIST-RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 699,286, dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed May 16, 1901. Serial No. 60,506- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that '1, WILLIAM C. GORTEL- YOU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oblong, in the county of Crawford and State of Illinois, have inv'enteda new and useful Combined Skirt-Clasp and Waist-Retainer, of which the following is a specification.

invention is to present a device of the character specified which will be thoroughly effective for keeping the skirt of a dress and a shirt-waist assembled in use or to keep the skirt and basque securely assembled and in which accidental release or separation of the parts of the device in use will be entirely obviated.

The invention consists, generally stated, in a two-membered device, one comprising an eye-plate and the-other a hook-plate,these parts to beassociated'with the band of the skirt and to be brought into engagement with each other in use. Oombinedwith the hook member is a locking device, the same in operation preventing accidental separation of the two plates in use, the locking device itself being held against movement by being en gaged with loops or eyes formed at the Waistline in the back of the waist or by the employment of a plate secured to the back of the waist to be engaged by the hooks of the locking device. The members of the fastener are to be shaped to conform to the contour of the waist ofthe user, so that in use no inconvenience will be felt. The hooks on the hookplate for engaging the openings in the eyeplate are formed bystam'ping out a series of lengths of metal constituting the hooks, the hook at one end'of the plate being by' preference formed by reducing that end of the plate'to a width corresponding to that of the hook and then turning the hook over to occupythesameplaneas theotherhooks. This latter procedure is adopted for the reason that it renders the construction of the plate waist thereof.

that its end terminates with the end of the plate, thisarrangement further operating to to shorten the length of the plate, thereby redu'cing its weight and saving in metal in its construction. The eye-plate is provided with This invention relates to a combined skirtclasp and waist-retainer and the object of the openings or eyes corresponding in number to the hooks on the hook-plate'and is formed in one edge with a plurality of incuts or depressions to be engaged by the locking device, the object of the incuts being to permit the hook of the locking device engaging the recesses to lie flush with the upper edges of the two plates when assembled.

The device as a whole is constructed with a View to simplicity of construction, durability and efliciency in use, and cheapness of production. Furthermore, from its construction and the manner in which it isassembled with the garment it will not present an attachment that will prove unsightly, and by provision of suitable'means for attachment to a garment, as will hereinafter appear, when once so assembled it will be held securely in place.

Further and more specific details of construction will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicatecorresponding parts, I have illustrated a form of embodiment of my invention capable of carrying my ideas into effect, it being understood that the same may be modified or changed in many points of its construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and in th'ese drawings- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a garment exhibiting my device attached to the Fig. 2 is a view in sectional plan showing the manner in which the members of the waist are held assembled. Fig. 3 is a detached detail view in perspective of the hook-plate. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the eye-plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view of a reinforcing-plate to be employed in connection with a waist-to be engaged by the hooks of the locking device. Fig.6 is a detached detail view of one of the-pivoted hooks for engaging the waist. Figs. 7and 8 are fragmentary detail views showing two dilferent ways in which the device maybe attached to the waistband.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the hook member, and 2 the eye member. The hook memberis constructed of a piece of thin sheet metal and is formed with a plurality of hooks, in this instance three, formed of the metal of the plate and therefore integral therewith, although they may be secured thereto. As before pointed out, in orderto shorten the plate, thus to reduce weight and saving in the use of metal, one end hook 3 is formed by a tongue stamped from the end of the plate and bent over to form the hook and the other end hook 4 by slittingthe ends of the metal to form a tongue and bending this tongue up to form a hook, the hook terminating practically with the end of the plate. The center hook 5 is formed by stamping up a tongue in a manner that will be readily understood. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact number of hooks herein shown, as their number may be increased or diminished without departing from the spirit of the invention. On the opposite side of the hookplate 1 from that on which the hooks project are pivoted two hooks or catches 0 and 7, the hook 6 being held assembled with the plate by a pivot 8 and being provided with a hook or catch 9, extending parallel with the face of the plate, and with a rearward-projecting hook or catch 10 to engage with recesses 11 and 12, respectively, formed in the upper edge of the plates 1 and 2. As herein shown, the plate 1 is only provided with one recess, while the plate 2 is provided with two or more, the object of this being to permit the longitudinal adjustment of the members with relation to each other, so as to loosen or tighten the waistband, as may be found necessary. The recesses 11 and 12 are of such depth that when the hook 10 is closed down upon the upper edges of the plates it will lie flush with the said upper edges, thereby obviating the presentation of an obstruction. The hook 7 is pivoted to the plate 1 bya rivet 13, and its hook portion 14c also lies parallel, or approximately so, with the face of the plate 1, these hooks to engage with openings similar to buttonholes formed in the waist-line at the back of the waist, as shown at 15, or instead of these openings braid eyes or ordinary eyes may be secured to the waist to be engaged by hooks, as shown at 16.

In order to impart additional stability in connection with the hooks 6 and 7 and the waist, I may employ a metallic plate 17, this to be placed on the inside of the waist-line and to be provided with openings 18 to be engaged by the hooks 6 and 7, the plate being held assembled with the waist by threads passed through openings 19 at the sides and ends. Then this plate is employed, tearing of the goods, as from the strain from the hooks 6 and 7, will be obviated. While this plate has points of advantage, as pointed'out,

the invention is not to be limited to the employment of this, as the plate may be omitted and the books 6 and 7 caused to engage with the buttonholes or braid loops or eyes, as before stated.

The plates 1 and 2 are provided with openings 20 along their sides and ends through which threads are passed to secure them to the waist. The eyes 21 in the plate 2 are formed by stamping out a sufficient length of metal for the purpose, as will be readily understood.

\Vhen this device is used with a skirt and shirt-waist, the hook-plate is fastened to the left -hand side of the skirt, with the hooks passed through holes in the skirt-band provided for the purpose, and the eye-plate is secured to the right-hand side of the-skirt. lVhen the two plates are brought into en gagement with each other, the looking-hook 6 is turned to position, and the plates are thus held securely assembled against accidental separation, the hooks 6 and 7 being then brought into engagement with openings or the like provided in the waistband, as described. Where the device is used with a skirt and a basque, the application of the parts is exactly reversed, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What Iclaim is 1. A skirt-clasp and waist-retainer comprising a hook-plate and an eye-plate, pivoted waist-supporting hooks carried by the hook-plate, and locking means carried by one of the pivoted hooks to embrace and hold the two plates assembled.

2. A skirt-clasp and waist-retainer comprising a plate provided with a plurality of hooks, a plate having a plurality of eyes to engage the hooks, and two pivoted waist-supporting hooks carried by one of the plates, one of the latter hooks having a catch to embrace the upper edges of the two plates to hold them assembled against'accidental separation.

3. A skirt-clasp and waist-retainer comprising two plates one of which is provided with a plurality of eyes, and the other with a plurality of hooks to engage the eyes, the latter plate carrying on the side opposite that on which the hooks are arranged two pivoted hooks to engage with openings in the waist of the garment, one of the hooks being provided with a curved projection to bear upon the upper edge of the two plates and thus hold them locked against accidental separation.

4. A skirt-clasp and waist-retainer comprising two plates one of which is provided with a plurality of eyes, and with incuts or depressions upon its upper-edge, and the other provided with rigid hooks extending outward from the face of the plate, and with an incut or depression upon its upper edge and with two pivoted hooks arranged on the opposite 'side of the plate to that carrying the rigid hooks, one of the hooks being provided with a curved ofi'set to engage with the depressions formed in the upper edges of the two plates.

' 5. A waist provided at the waist-line with a perforated plate secured thereto, in combination with a skirt carrying a plate provided with hooks to engage with the perforations of the Waist-plate, the second-named plate being provided with outwardly-extending hooks, a third plate carried by the free end of the skirt to engage the outwardly-extendin g hooks, and locking means carried by one of the firstnamed hooks and the second-named plate for holding the two plates assembled.

6. A device of theclass described, comprising two interlocked members, pivoted locking means to hold the two members in interlocked relation, and means carried by the locking 

